Source: Military Records of General Officers of the Confederate
States of America, by Charles B. Hall, 1898

Allen, Robert, brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in Ohio in
1815, and appointed from Ohio to West Point, in which school he was
graduated in 1836. After service in the Seminole war as second
lieutenant, he served as assistant quartermaster during the Mexican
war, on the march to Monterey. He was present at the siege of Vera
Cruz, the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras and Churubusco, and the
taking of Mexico. For gallant conduct at the battle of Cerro Gordo he
received the brevet rank of major. After the Mexican war he was chief
quartermaster of the Pacific division, and, at the outbreak of the
Civil war was made chief quartermaster of the Department of Missouri,
with headquarters at St. Louis, where he had charge of supplies and
transportation for the various armies of the Mississippi valley. From
Nov., 1863, to 1866, he was chief quartermaster of the Mississippi
valley, with headquarters at Louisville, and furnished transportation
and supplies to Sherman's command for the march across the country to
join Gen. Grant at Chattanooga. He also fitted out the Kentucky,
Virginia and North Carolina expeditions. He was promoted to major in
1861, colonel in 1862, brigadier-general of volunteers in 1863, and
was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular army in 1864. On March
13, 1865, he received the brevet rank of major-general, U. S. A. Gen.
Allen served after the war as chief quartermaster of the Pacific, and
was retired on March 21, 1878. He died in Geneva, Switzerland, Aug. 6,
1886.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908